The Hazards of Love
by simplet77
Summary: Based off the album The Hazards of Love by the Decemberist. Ashley's a princess, Paula's the Queen...and Spencers an animal
1. Chapter 1

The Hazards of Love

_My true love went riding out_

_In white and green and gray_

"Ashley! You must head out now before it gets too dark." Paula yelled at her daughter. Her daughter and heir to the throne was a girl a bit shorter then most with dark brown curly hair who had just turned 17 the week before. Ashley smiled at her mother as she grabbed an apple and headed to the stables.

"Say no more." She said as she saddled her horse and got on.

"Are you sure you don't want to go with a guard?" Paula asked, her voice laced with concern.

"I'll be fine. You worry too much." Ashley said as she smiled a little.

"Fine…" Paula finally gave in as she nodded her head for the guard to unlock the gate. Ashley smiled one last time and spurred her horse onward.

_Past the pale of office wall_

_Where she was want to stray_

_And there she came upon _

_A white and wounded fawn_

As Ashley rode past the houses of the town she took in the tasks of the town people…all looking content at whatever it was they were doing. She wished she was like that…the only time she was content was when she was riding her horse Colby.

She rode into the woods without a thought in head of what was to happen next. Ashley was known to daydream her days away which is why she just narrowly missed seeing the fawn. It was lying curled up in the underbrush. Ashley took one look at the fawn and stopped her horse. She slipped off Colby and walked up to it.

_Singing_

_Oh, oh _

_The hazards of love_

Ashley never fell in love…couldn't was what the town's people said. She smiled ruefully at the thought of it.

_She, being full of charity,_

_A credit to her sex_

_Sought to right the fawn's hind legs _

She bent down and examined the fawn. She didn't know much about animals but it was obvious that something was wrong with its hind legs. She racked her brain for something that might help the animal but she came up blank. She decided to take it back to the castle with her. But then something unnatural began to happen.

_When here her plans were vexed_

_The tiger shifted strange_

_The beast began to change_

It began to take the shape of another. Not a thought went through the princess's head.

_Singing _

_Oh, oh_

_The hazards of love_

_Singing _

_Oh, oh oh oh _

_The hazards of love _

_You'll learn soon enough_

_The prettiest whistles won't wrestle the thistles undone_

_Undone_

She never believed in love…neither did her mother. When she was younger the Queen would tell her only child the love was a hazard…not worth getting into. It always left someone undone. She had believed it up till now.

_Fifteen lithesome maidens lay_

_Along in their bower_

Back at the castle, fifteen maidens waited quietly for sleep to overtake them. They all shared the same bower and had gotten used to the noises of each other.

_Fourteen occupations pay _

_To pass the idle hour_

Fourteen of the girls from the bower leave at midnight on the dot to go see to men. In this town there's no other way to pass the time.

_Margaret heaves a sigh_

_Her hands clasps to her thigh_

Ashley sighs in wonderment as the transformation takes place. She places her hands around her thigh and waits for it to be over.

_Singing_

_Oh, oh_

_The hazards of love_

_Singing _

_Oh, oh oh oh_

_The hazards of love_

_You'll learn soon enough_

_The prettiest whistles won't wrestle the thistles undone_

_Undone _

_Undone _

_Undone _

_Undone_

**A/N- The song is called The Hazards of Love by the Decemberist. Please review and tell me what you think of it so far. I'm planning on making this a songfic. Anyway, please RR**


	2. The Bower Scene

The Bower Scene

"_Thou inconsolable daughter" said the sister,_

"_When wilt thou trouble the water in the cistern, _

_And what irascible black bart is the father?"_

Ashley was back at the castle with her best friend and constant companion, Alex. Ashley had missed her last two periods and was almost positive that she was pregnant. Alex questioned Ashley continuously about who the father might be.

_And when young Margaret's waistline grew wider_

_The fruit of her amorous entwine inside her._

Paula was shocked, surprised and eventually ecstatic about becoming a grandparent. Ashley never told her who the father was even though, like Alex, Paula questioned her every time she got a chance to.

_And so our heroine withdraws to the Taiga. _

All Paula and Alex knew was that every night she left the castle at 8 o clock and went riding into the woods. She was not heard from again into late in the morning.

**A/N-I know this is a super short chapter but that's how the song is. Hope you all liked the chapter. Please review!**


	3. Won't Want for Love

Won't Want for Love (Margaret in the Taiga)

_Gentle leaves, gentle leaves_

_Please arrange a path for me_

_The woods all growing thick and fast around me_

As Ashley rode deeper into the woods she noticed the leaves were changing colors. This had always been her favorite season. She could no longer see the light from the outside world. She asked the gods for her to arrange a path for her so she could finally be with the one she wanted.

_Columbine, columbine _

_Please alert this love of mine_

_Let him know his Margaret comes along_

Ashley spurred the horse on more. A deer galloped beside her and she begged it to tell her love that she was on her way. The deer gave a human like nod and sped up and left Ashley to continue her journey alone.

_And all this stirring inside my belly_

_Won't quell my want for love_

_And I may swoon from all this swelling_

_But I won't want for love_

Although being pregnant had its advantage (such as how Alex would make her whatever she wanted…whenever she wanted it; or how her mother would bend backwards for her.) it also meant that she wasn't aloud to see her love whenever she wanted…which, to her, was a HUGE disadvantage.

_Mistle thrush, mistle thrush_

_Lay me down in the underbrush_

_My naked feet grow weary with the dusk_

Another disadvantage to being with child meant that she couldn't good long periods of time without some kind of rest stop. She stopped her horse and it lumbered off into the woods as soon as her weight was gone. Her back and neck hurt. Her naked feet were both tired and rubbed raw…she sat down and waited for her.

_And all this stirring inside my belly _

_Won't quell my want for love_

_And I may swoon from all this swelling _

_But I won't want for love_

She remembered how they first met and swooned at the thought of what was to come tonight. She had waited (rather impatiently) to be with her love. She wanted to believe that this was fling but she knew…with everything she was, that she was (as everyone called it) "the one".

_William (Spencer)_

_O my own true love!_

_O my own true love!_

_Can you hear me love?_

_Can you hear me love?_

A hushed silence fell over the woods. Ashley cautiously looked around. Before she had much time to worry over her, a sweet voice called out to her.

_And all this stirring inside my belly_

_Won't quell my want for love_

_And I may swoon from all this swelling_

_But I won't want for love_

A smile graced the young girls features as she heard the voice…it was her. She tried to stop the smile…but it just couldn't be done.

_Won't want for love_

_Won't want for love_

_I won't want for love_

She hadn't wanted to fall in love, it just came to her…she just came to her.

**A/N-just wanted to say thanks to everyone. Reviews keep me going. Btw, mistle IS the word in the song lol. Anyway, thanks again for reading and reviewing. Hope u liked it. Please RR**


	4. The Hazards of Love 2

The Hazards of Love (Wager All) Spencer's POV

When I was a child I was left out by the woods to fend for myself. I had no one in the world that cared about me in any shape, size or form. I came upon a fawn who was nursing her children. I walked carefully up to them. By accident, I stepped on some leaves and the fawn jumped up in surprise. It's very unlikely for fawns…or even deer to attack people…especially if not provoked; but that's exactly what happened. I don't know if I died or if some sort of magic was used…but I came back. The only difference was that now only at night was I my human self. All the other times, I was perceived as a fawn.

When I came upon Ashley, I knew from the second she saved me…that she was the one I was looking for. I changed before her eyes and waited for her reaction. She was stunned to say the least. That was how our meetings started. Once I found out she was pregnant, I obviously jumped to conclusions. Suspecting she was seeing another. She denied it again and again. She told me I was the only one she was seeing. Ofcourse I had to bring up how we were both women and she had no answer. Eventually I believed her. I had heard a legend that in times of extreme passion and love, sometimes the barriers of genders were erased.

_And here I am_

_Softer than a shower_

_And here I am _

_To garland you with flowers_

I sat down beside her and her face lit up in a grin bigger than I've ever seen on her. I smiled back in return and began to rub her feet. She sighed happily and moved her toes. I needed to move…needed to run, so I pulled her to her feet motioned for her to follow me. She did. As we walked in comfortable silence, I picked up a flower and gave it to her. She accepted it with a small blush and a duck of her head.

_To lay you down_

_In clover bed_

_The stars a roof_

_Above our heads_

Once I got to our spot I laid her down and moved my fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes and her breathing began to slow. I looked above us and watched as the stars stood out more from the black night.

_And all my life_

_I never felt the tremor _

_And all my life_

_That now disturbs my fingers_

I've never felt this way about…anyone. Never before was I ever so speechless when I came in contact with someone. It was love; plain and not simple in any way. I trembled at the thought of how I could spend every day with Ashley. I continued to run my fingers through her curly hair as I thought about what it would be like after the baby came.

_And we'll lie 'til the Corn Crake crows_

_Bereft of the weight of our summer clothes_

_And I'll wager all_

We laid there naked for rest of the night, letting the cold night air brush against of skin. When dawn came upon us, I came to a conclusion…I would give up everything for Ashley…everything.

_The hazards of love_

_The hazards of love_

Ashley had told me that she didn't believe in love…told me that every day we were together. I didn't care…I still loved her all the same.

_And take my hand_

_And cradle it in your hands_

_And take my hand_

_To feel the pull of quicksand_

She took my hand in her hands and kissed them softly as she got ready to saddle her horse for the journey back to her castle. Before she pulled away, I grabbed her wrists and pulled her as close as I could. I kissed her rapidly as I murmured into her lips the promises I made to her every time she left me.

_I'll lay you down_

_In clover bed_

_The stars a roof_

_Above our heads_

I promised her that I would meet her actually were she was leaving tomorrow at the same time we always meet. I promised her I'd lay her down in the clovers like I did every night. I promised her that the stars would shine on us like they did every night we were together.

_And we'll lie 'til the Corn Crake crows_

_Bereft of the weight of our summer clothes_

_And I'd wager all_

I promised her that I wouldn't leave her till dawn broke and I only had a few moments before my change. I promised her I would undress her and praise her with both my hands and my words. And lastly, I promised her the one promise I knew would never change…I promised her that I'd wager all for her.

_The hazards of love_

_The hazards of love_

_The hazards of love_

_The hazards of love_

She rode away with the night sky and the coming of dawn. Before I lost sight of her I could've sworn I say her turn around and mouth the words back to me…telling me that she would wager too. I smiled and prayed that she would get over her idea of how love was a hazard. I changed into my deer form as the light came over the trees.

**A/N- I made this longer then my other ones and gave a bit more info on Spencer's past and how she became a fawn. Thanks everyone for reviewing. I really hope u guys liked it. Please RR**


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